Mutharika, Ben Phiri’s alleged plot goes viral

A Twitter conversation purportedly between Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president Peter Mutharika and his special aide Ben Phiri discussing “planting” ballots to official of People’s Party in Blantyre has been leaked on Wednesday went viral overnight.

The conversation which flooded social media networks is from Phiri’s Twitter account said to chatting with Mutharika on dumping the ballot boxes in a bid to discredit vote recount by Malawi Electoral Commission.

But Phiri denied about the conversation, disowning the account as fake.

The screen shot of the conversation widely circulating on internet

“That is the work of propagandists,” he claimed.

The screen shot of the conversation was mugged after images of what appears to be dumped ballot boxes on Wednesday flooded Facebook as people took to the street in Nyambadwe, Blantyre after claiming to have discovered filled Presidential ballot box dumped in the neighbourhood.

The ballot boxes were said to be from Chilomoni.

Police successfully calmed down some irate people claiming to have found a filled presidential ballot box and cried foul of elections fraud.

Mutharika is not new for controversy over leaks in Malawi media. He was embarrassed when a leaked audio from MIJ Radio was posted on Nyasa Times which he was heard foul-mouthing former Speaker of Parliament Henry Chimunthu Banda on tribal tonnes.

The May 20 elections was plagued by a plethora of problems including late delivery of voting materials and ballot papers being sent to the wrong places.

The outcome of the election was thrown into chaos last week when President Joyce Banda called the vote “null and void”, saying it was marred by “serious irregularities”.

In some places the number of votes cast is reportedly greater than the number of voters.
Banda’s supporters fear that Mutharika, the 74-year-old brother of late former president Bingu wa Mutharika, may be attempting to steal power.

Mutharika already faces treason charges for attempting to conceal his brother’s death in office two years ago, as part of an alleged plot to stop Banda — then vice-president — from assuming power as directed by the constitution.